DENVER (October 4, 2012) – Choose Outdoors, The U.S. Forest Service and New Earth Pellets today announced the winner of Sing4TheTrees, a national songwriting contest to determine the official song of the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

After receiving nearly 300 original song submissions, Standing Tall by Lindsay Lawler from Nashville, TN was selected as the official U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree song. Lawler will be awarded the grand prize of $2,500 and the song will be featured at the Forest Service Chief’s Reception immediately preceding the tree lighting ceremony on the west lawn of the Capitol this December.

Twenty five semi-finalists were chosen from nearly 300 submissions. In addition to the grand prize winner, 11 additional artists have been selected to have their songs featured on a Sing4TheTrees compilation CD, which is available for online download and for purchase along the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree route. All proceeds will go towards a Forest Restoration Challenge coordinated by Choose Outdoors

“I am so excited and proud that my song was selected as the official U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Song and to represent Colorado,” said Lawler. “Spreading this message and celebrating our great outdoors is truly special and brings us all together as a nation, and that’s what I wanted to express in this song.”

Celebrity judge Chuck Leavell, keyboardist and musical director for The Rolling Stones, and a successful author, entrepreneur and tree farmer, was among those who evaluated submissions on their relevancy to addressing the issue of forestry health, musicality and originality.

“It was a very tough decision to choose just one grand prize songwriter to represent the Capitol Christmas Tree. The submissions we received were of very high songwriting quality. Ultimately, Lawler’s song summarized the essence of the Sing4TheTrees message, and I’m confident that the public will enjoy it,” explained Leavell.

Costs associated with the tree’s transportation and tour events are made possible by contributions of cash and in-kind services by individuals, corporations and local communities. Major sponsors include the Colorado Tourism Office, U.S. Forest Service, Mack Trucks, The National Association of Convenience Stores and Vail Resorts.

Choose Outdoors is a coalition for outdoor recreation comprised of people and organizations who are passionate about outdoor recreation, support public lands, waters, and the agencies charged with their care. www.chooseoutdoors.org

About the White River National Forest:

The 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is located in west/central Colorado. Providing a vast array of outdoor recreation experiences, the White River hosts more than 9 million visitors per year and is the number one forest for recreation in the country. In addition to world-class recreation and abundant wildlife populations, the White River supports activities such as grazing, timber harvest, mining, and oil and gas development that are crucial to the economies of western Colorado. www.fs.usda.gov/whiteriver

About New Earth Depot: is dedicated to providing the highest quality biomass products and service, helping to empower individuals to create and enjoy a sustainable future in clean energy living, changing our energy paradigm one relationship at a time.